Phat Joe against the ropes
EAST Coast Radio station has vowed to look into the complaints about Phat Joe following a petition to get him off air.
The controversial radio and TV personality has ruffled feathers with his approach to broadcasting.
The station’s general manager Boni Mchunu said they were aware of a petition calling for Phat Joe to be fired. “We are committed to being a responsible broadcaster and will respond to any complaints on an individual basis and, where warranted, by merit.”
It’s been a week since Phat Joe officially joined the KwaZulu-Natal radio station.
It emerged yesterday that Hayley Going of Durban started a petition to have him removed from the drive-time slot‚ and it is fast gaining momentum. It was started on an online platform and is being circulated on social media under the hashtag #phatjoemustgo.
“As a resident of Durban and a mother with a 13-year-old child who drives home at 5pm‚ it is time to make a stand. #phatjoemustgo. He is not the right person for the ECR drive slot.
“I petition the listeners of ECR to join me and sign the petition.
“Hopefully the management will sit up and realise that we will not tolerate him any longer.”
Some of the accusations levelled against him include making racist comments on air; talking about “sexing himself up”; condoning affairs and insulting Wayde van Niekerk’s girlfriend.
They also complained that every show has sexual content and he promotes tattooing a baby.
His “unsavoury” jokes about serial rape‚ and jail rape and calling Caster Semenya a “him” also earned him the ire of listeners.
“He is a disgrace and needs to be removed from radio. East Coast is clearly not the place for him‚” Going stated in the petition.
The petition has since garnered 2 500 signatures, with the hashtag also sparking debate on social media. –